Muzaffarnagar riots: blamegame on as Akhilesh alleges 'conspiracy'

An unidentified man injured in communal clashes watches as he receives treatment at a district hospital in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of ...

A policeman checks a civilian for weapons during a curfew in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of New Delhi. (AP Photo)

A man injured in communal clashes is carried on a stretcher after in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of New Delhi. (AP Photo)

Policemen recover arms and ammunition during a door-to-door search operation in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of New Delhi. (AP Photo)

Mehrana, a 6-year-old girl injured in communal clashes, gets treatment at a district hospital in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of New Delhi. ...

Paramilitary soldiers patrol a street during a curfew imposed following communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar. (AP Photo)

Paramilitary soldiers urge civilians to stay indoors during a curfew in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of New Delhi. (AP Photo)

People help a young child after she was injured during communal clashes as they leave a hospital after getting first aid in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 ...

Soldiers keep watch during a patrol following communal riots between two communities in Muzaffarnagar, India's Uttar Pradesh state. (AFP Photo)

A policeman holds recovered arms during a door-to-door search operation in Muzaffarnagar, about 125 kilometers (78 miles) north of New Delhi, India. (AP Photo)

UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Monday termed the Muzaffarnagar riots a political conspiracy to destabilise his government even as a one-member judicial commission was formed to probe what caused the violence.

“It is a ploy to divide people and malign the pro-poor government," Yadav told reporters, as two more persons were killed on Monday taking the death toll of the three-day communal carnage in the area to 31.

Yadav, sporting a skullcap and accompanied by cabinet minister Mohammad Azam Khan, said his government would show no leniency towards those disturbing peace and appealed to political parties to maintain restraint.

"The government is taking every possible step to prevent further damage. We have removed officials and deputed new ones. We are hopeful that things would be under control soon.”

“I spoke to the prime minister and ensured him that normalcy would be restored soon,” Yadav said.

He was talking to media persons before seeing off the first batch of Haj pilgrims on the outskirts of Lucknow.

He also asked the pilgrims to pray for peace and harmony in the state during Haj.

“The incidents can be solved by community elders, but there are certain forces which don’ t want peace to prevail. We will not let the culprits go unpunished,” he added.

Even as BJP president Rajnath Singh demanded for President's rule in the state, a one-member judicial commission, comprising of retired Allahabad high court judge Vishnu Sahai, was formed to probe the communal riots.

Yadav also refused to comment on the mahapanchayat during which the riots broke out in Muzaffarnagar on Saturday. He, however, said the government might think of banning such gatherings in future.

Haj and minority welfare minister Mohammad Azam Khan expressed displeasure at “some power hungry people who want to achieve their means by killing people”.

He also said the state government was determined to control the situation in the riot-hit areas.

“The government has imposed curfew in the troubled areas. Many officers have been suspended. What else can the government do,” Khan added.

BJP president Rajnath Singh pledged his party’s support in Parliament for President’s rule in Uttar Pradesh.

“The communal atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh has been worsening under the Samajwadi Party government.

The law and order situation has gone from bad to worse. Dozens of communal riots have taken place in the last one and half years. The BJP will fully support in Parliament any such move of the government,” Singh said.

The state government announced the constitution of a judicial commission headed by justice (retired) Vishnu Sahai to probe into the communal violence in Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Baghpat.